Damage mechanics analysis for predicting mechanical behavior of general composite laminates containing transverse cracks

Abstract

A damage mechanics analysis is applied to predict the relation between laminate stress and strain in composite laminates containing transverse matrix cracks. First, the transverse crack density as a function of laminate stress is predicted based on both energy and average stress criteria. Next, the laminate strain increment caused by transverse cracking is also derived as a function of applied laminate stress and transverse crack density, and then the relation between laminate stress and strain is predicted considering matrix cracking. The analytical prediction of the relation between laminate stress and strain is compared with the experimental results. The analytical prediction slightly underestimates the laminate stress because the strain increment associated with transverse crack opening displacement is overestimated in this analysis. An advantage of the present method is that it can be applied to laminates with arbitrary stacking sequences.